Xbox 360: change to PAL 60hz

Saturday 05 May 2007 10:25

After getting back my Xbox 360 from repair I was reminded of an awkward bug in the system. I couldn't play two of my games, DOA and Crackdown, because they only run in PAL 60Hz. The default setting for my Xbox system is PAL 50Hz. Seems ok right? just go to settings > video and make the changes. But its not so simple. My Xbox is running in HD mode through component input to my TV. This completely removes the options for choose PAL settings from the system menu leaving (I presume) many users lost.

The solution is to turn off your Xbox 360, change the switch on the video cable from HDTV to TV and then turn back on. This usually involves digging out the video block, connecting it up and finding a scart input to your TV. Now you can access the PAL settings to make the change to 60Hz. Then you can unplug all your cables and put it back as it was!

This is incredibly annoying. It seems these games are detecting a system setting and refusing to run, even when you're running in high-def mode and that setting (I assume) doesn't figure in to the equation as the Xbox doesn't even let you access it when in HD mode.

Update: Thanks for the comments. If your picture is coming up in black and white it's likely that your TV doesn't support 60hz and this is the best picture it can make from the signal.

Note: you might notice some colour change (black & white). do not worry... just save the setting and turn off the console.

Now connect the HDMI cable and turn the console back on.

Very simple guys. Please do not chuck your XBOX.. they are very expensive lol

4 Nov 2011 07:12 by soprano

cheers mate you legend just got hitman blood money to play through befoe absolution comes out

10 Jun 2011 04:54 by brandon

thanks lad

28 May 2011 09:25 by Bahjaat

thanks, it 's working now!

21 Apr 2011 03:14 by baleca

my tv as no 60hz and the quality sucks,if i buy a hdmi to dvi will it help or?

23 Jan 2011 05:01 by menzies

USELESS MICROSOFT! y do they always have to make things so much more difficult? surely some guru on their team of merry @#%^! can make an update to sort out this pain

3 Jan 2011 06:29 by kev1990

Hi guys,

my bf got t he new xbox for his crimbo and just like the rest of your comments he can only play it in black and white. He is about to toss the thing out the window to be honest. We cant seem to find the switch mentioned in all your comments can someone please help us!???

cant get the outfit to play its to do with this pal 60 business my boy is gutted any ideas !!!!!!!!!!

4 Feb 2010 12:58 by IronDragoon

Alright, here's the problem I'm having.. I'm currently stationed in Iraq, and I just bought an XBox 360 Elite.. I have a regular, straight HDMI cable which does *not* have the HDTV to TV switch. What cable do I need? A link to a company that ships to APOs (Best Buy does) would be greatly appreciated.

22 Jan 2010 08:47 by pierre

Really big thanks, this saved my night! :)

20 Jan 2010 06:59 by John Smerks

Hi my Xbox is connectet to my Hd Tv with HDMI cable and when I try to pla Hitman Blood Money its askin me to change my display to Pal-60 from my console setting but i cant plz help me to make it Work?? Thanks!!

Bless you for this info!!!! It's Xmas day and one of my son's new games brought up the error message about the Hertz. Luckily we remembered where the lead with Red, Green, Blue phonos was and there on the other end of that was the Hertz switcher! Didn't need scart - just that switcher and reboot. Thanks again!

26 Aug 2009 12:39 by tootrue

i bought a new tv and every time i set my xbox to pal 60 the screen goes blury but in color help me plz

13 Jul 2009 10:52 by Grufter

Thanks for the help bud. All I had to do is dig out my standard av cable connect via white/red/video and i could then change my pal settings. re-connected my HDMI, waited a couple of seconds and DONE! Console is now running in 1080p 60HZ.

28 Jun 2009 11:45 by Microhaze

Thanks a lot, games are running fine now after using your advice.

26 Jun 2009 10:12 by yo every1

it doesnt work..i think the tv supports PAL 60Hz..how can you change the tv settings to 60Hz?its a philips

14 Jun 2009 03:05 by Xbox Junkie

dudee thanks alot i was gonna take it back n get a refund im so glad i found ur info before i did .........TOPMAN!!

8 Jun 2009 03:51 by Hisham

It worked for me, thank you very much

2 May 2009 01:27 by BRU407

You mate are a fukin ledgend you dont know how long i have been trying to fix this problem. thanksa fucken heap

10 Feb 2009 10:25 by Dblackghost

Thanks man...it works!! :-)

7 Feb 2009 06:48 by Starshooters

Cheers man, was so much help, f''king xbox manual had nothing about this ¬_¬

thanks again

7 Feb 2009 10:57 by J - Eyes on the Horizon

Dude you are a life saver! many thanks buddy!

1 Feb 2009 03:01 by Carlo

Hey Man I don't have cables, Its just ONE basic HDMI cable that goes in the back of the tv :S

Hi. I have a xbox 360 Elite and when i change to 60pal it just be white and black :(

PLZZZ Help!

5 Jan 2009 01:48 by JoetheElephant

I have an Arcade 360. No matter what I do the screen is in Black and White. If I hook it up to a High Def TV the picture is in color but it will not play games that are rated for 60 hertz. I am a Missionary in Madagascar and I bought it in South Africa. I am now in the USA and it these are the problems that I am encountering. Can anyone help?

30 Dec 2008 05:32 by Deano

Tried all this. Problem for me is when I select PAL 60 screen goes black for a bit and then comes back with it still in PAL 50 mode. Frustrating. TV Is HD but using AV cable. Any ideas

29 Dec 2008 11:20 by Rick

yeah i have the same problem

-when i set my tv to pal 60hz for my xbox360 its in black and white :/

Cheers for the info dude was on the verge of taking a crowbar to my 360.

24 May 2008 01:20 by skafa

top 1000 tanx from me mate youre the best
now i can finnaly play HITMAN BLOODMONEY Again

19 May 2008 10:59 by Jim

Thanks mate, you have just saved me smashing my xbox up!!! lol

15 May 2008 06:53 by Bomben

fuck i was getting aggravated, just wanted to play, but NO.
Thanks for this!

14 May 2008 06:37 by poopy

yeah couldnt believe this setting was hidden and i was in bloody 50hz all the time now i have 60hz which is what it should be, just need to shutdown then flick the switch on cable-boot up set for 60hz shutdown flick switch again (yawn) and bootup, now all we need is a setting like ps3 so you dont autoboot any disc you put into console that would be sweet.

my telly isn't crazily old, maybe between 10-15 years (ok its no spring chicken) but it doesn't take 60hz, which means i'm fucked, after buying an xbox360 and realising this fundamental flaw, half of my games are going to be in fuzzy black and white, furious! does anyone reckon or know if gta4 will be in 50hz??

8 Apr 2008 02:52 by Hicky

Fantastic been farting around for hours some games worked like gears of war which is supposed to be pal60 only.very strange glad to have now sorted it.YOUR AN ANGEL cheers

nice one mate i thought it was going to be my t.v that would allow the xbox to run in 60hz.

6 Sep 2007 12:15 by Halo3 Addict

Thanks for the info. Shame there isn't any mention of this on xbox website or in the manual, could have saved me a lot of trouble.

14 Aug 2007 06:29 by Spud

Cheers dude - i was lucky, your site was the first hit on my Google search and your insutructions saved me a lot of time!

One small thing i noticed - you don't even have to find a scart input to your TV after you switch the video cable from HDTV to TV; i just left the component cable connected as it was and that enabled me to access the PAL settings under System - Console Settings - Display.

Big thanks for the instructions dude!

10 Aug 2007 01:35 by Yaab

thx mate!
very helpful! :-)

26 Jul 2007 11:51 by WS85

U just saved my xbox from being thrown out the window! it was really starting to annoy me!